Seekers of Truth
by BDasher
Summary: Credits to That guy83 for the original idea! (I really reccomend Dawn of Hospitality, the inspiration for this!) This is the tale of an ex-Imperial Inquisitor as he seeks to investigate rumours of darkness on the planet Rinvax XIV - with several of his friends not belonging to the Tau Empire. This is not in any way serious or even possible in 40K. A man can dream, a man can dream..


Prologue: An Odd Phenomena

IMPERIAL PLANET DATABASE

[CLASSIFIED]

WORLD: RINVAX XIV

CLASSIFICATION: RENEGADE ADEPTUS ASTARTES HOME WORLD

POPULATION: CENSUS NOT POSSIBLE

STATUS: MARKED FOR EXTERMINATUS

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: FAITH WITHOUT DEEDS IS WORTHLESS

The world of Rinvax XIV is a savage, untamed planet on the Eastern Fringe, with the closest three planets being in the hands of the Tau. Colonized in 500.M41, it was deemed worthless by the Imperium due to the entirety of its surface being barren rock incapable of supporting life. However, the Galaxy Guard Chapter of the Space Marines- notorious for their unorthodox actions ( for as far as that is possible with Space Marines)- whose Home World had recently been devoured by a Tyranid Splinter Fleet and later utterly destroyed by the Exterminatus ordered by their Chapter Master, saw in it a perfect a resemblance to a Tyranid-devoured World, perfect for training in the harsh enviroment of such worlds. Thus, they petitioned it to be their new Home World. The High Lords of Terra, although surprised by this request, granted this favour.

Soon after the Chapter landed on the planet, their Servitors started digging in the mountains rife on Rinvax XIV, building the Galaxy Guard's headquarters in the massive, snow-capped peaks of the First Mountains, or the Ruby Mountains, as the became known soon after the mountains proved to be filled with gemstones of all kinds, but rubies most of all. Taking this as a sign from the Emperor, the Galaxy Guard changed their name into the Ruby Guard, and painted a single ruby on every battle-brothers' shoulder pad.

Soon after the construction was done, a Word Bearers Warband invaded the planet, relishing in the chance to destroy another Chapter of the Emperor's finest. The Ruby Guard, not fully recovered from the losses caused by the Tyranid invasion, was devastated and pushed back into their headquartes. These too were hard pressed and things were looking grim for the Space Marines. All communication attempts with the Imperium proved fruitless, as the neares fleet was months away. The chapter would have been utterly destroyed, if not for the intervention of the Tau. Realizing they would be next if the Imperial forces were defeated at Rinvax XIV, since the invaders would most likely invade their Worlds after crushing the Imperial presence on Rivax XIV. The high peaks, deep cliffs and many overhangs provided excellent firing positions for the Battlesuits and Fire Warriors. Stealth Suits were sent to snipe enemy commanders and disrupt supplies. Sensing the traitors were on the back foot, Grand Master Enrius ordered a counterattack. Leading his battle-brothers into the heart of the enemy army, he decapicitated the Chaos Lord with a single swipe of his power sword. Many heretics fell that day, either by Tau pulse rifle or blessed Bolter. A few days later, the Imperial Relief Force arrived under the command Inquisitor Torquam. After he realized that the Chapter had an unofficial truce with the surrounding Tau, Enrius and his bodyguard were executed for heresy and xenos-sympathising. This roused the ire of the Ruby Guard, who had always been more open-minded and tolerant than other Chapter - this, of course, was classified as a gene-seed flaw. Days after this, the Chapter split into three factions: Loyalists, Traitors and a new faction, unheard of anywhere within the Imperium: Rogue Marines. Although they too rebelled against the Imperium, they still followed the Light of the Emperor, but in a pure, basic way. They did away with the huge cathedrals, preffering to pray in small chapels, unadorned save for a signle statue of the Emperor. Although they hated Chaos with a passion, other xenos were tolerated as long as they did not threaten with violence and accepted that the Emperor was there. After a long and bloody struggle, the heretics and loyalists were killed or sent running towards the Imperial fleet. Of these refugees, the loyalists were greeted with open arms, although the heretics met justice. Content with being left alone, the Rogue Marines declared themselves independent of the Imperium.

Alas, the Imperium always had an answer to treachery and heresy - even though the Ruby Guard did not consider their behaviour so, as the continued to follow the Emperor's Light. Inqusitor Torquam marked the planet for Exterminatus. The Relief Fleet armed itself with their Exterminatus Bombs, but the Ruby Guard had foreseen this, as the arrogant, foolish High Lords would certainly not allow their existance, for it was a danger to their power over Man. Stormtalons were sent to destroy these ships before they could drop their payload and Strike Cruisers deployed Terminators in these ships, diverting their weaponry to the Imperial Fleet instead. Soon, the only remaing ship - Torquam's sihp - found itself under heavy assault. It tried to retreat, but its escape route was cut off by the Ruby Guard's ships. They gave the ship's crew one chance: Surrender and join us, or die. Inquisitor Torquam immediately stated than anyone cowardly enough to surrender would be executed on the spot. However, many Guardsmen, having witnessed the fearsome might wielded by he Ruby Guard, complied to the Space Marine's orders of surrender. They slaughtered the others that denied them, except for Inqusitor Torquam, who escaped in a one-man escape vessel.

The new leader of the Ruby Guard, elected from the Chapters' Chapter Masters, was an experienced veteran and master tactician called Asmar. He ordered the refugee Inquisitor left alone, in reflection of the Chapter's wishes to be left alone and live in quiet worship of the Emperor. He recognized that, whilst the Emperor was Mankind's only deity, or "Truth", other races had their own Truths. He sent envoys to the Tau, with a mission not of violence, but peace. The Tau, Eager to spread the Greater Good, agreed to a pact. The Ruby Guard and Tau would assist each other when attacked and the Rogue Marines would train willing Tau in the art of melee, something the Chapter were famed for. In return, the Tau would supply the Chapter with supplies and xenotech. Research labs were set up on the planet, along with Tau enclaves here and there. Ideas were spread, discussions were many and a time of wealth ensued. The Imperial Guard forces, no longer required to take up arms, put themselves to use as labourers, being able to carry out more complex tasks than the Servitors. Soon, great Hive Cities sprang up all over the planet, with the aid of Tau tech, the Men of Rinvax XIV terraformed the rock into fertile soil, creating forests and farms in the process.

Curious about this strange development, an Eldar Craftworld named Yuthíenlis paid the odd planet and its even stranger people a visit. Withing days, Eldar lived alongside the Tau and Men on one planet. History had been written; peace was had. The planet's existence was erased out of Imperial records, but tolerated. Partially because the combined power of Men, Tau and Eldar was too costly to defeat, partially because that area was riven with Warp Storms lasting for decades, only allowing Eldar Webway travel in the area, and partially because each Terran month, a new piece of tech, sometimes of alien nature, was dropped off at Mars at random location in secret, waiting to be found by a Techpriest, bearing the symbol of the Ruby Guard. This tech often was very useful - one just has to look at the Vengeance Launcher or even the partially working STC system unearthed on one of the Tau planets - whilst others were useless or remained a mystery. No one knows the function of the Green Sphere of B'ann.

Thus, Rinvax XIV became a haven for refugees who knew of its existence. Although no new Space Marines arrived, fleeing Imperial Guardsmen, normal Imperial citzens and ossacionally even xenos, showing the aptitude and being capable of withstanding the surgery required, provided an influx of Rogue Marines. Soon, the planet's defences were unmatched, save perhaps by those of Cadia and Terra.

Or story begins at the time a couple of decades later, with an Ork invasion and something far darker, with a certain citzien of this fair planet, a refugee who fled for the Imperium's uncaring ignorance in hope for a better life...


End file.
